Leading Difficult
Conversations On Race
Class and Gender
Who We Are
The Adaway Group is a black woman-owned consulting firm that brings together multi-racial teams to work on projects related to equity, inclusion, and social justice.
In order to build an inclusive, thriving workplace, organizations need to break down the disadvantages built into social institutions via law, policy, and everyday practice. Our structural frameworks and partnerships with other firms get you there, regardless of ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, religion, national identity, and ability.
Desiree Adaway
Principal
She/Her/Hers
Desiree is a seasoned nonprofit consultant and facilitator. All of her presentations have a mix of thought-provoking content presented with humor and wit. When she teaches, she makes a point to connect with every person and create a brave space for their growth. Desiree is known by staff, senior leadership, peers, and partners as facilitating open, honest, and productive conversations that transform organizational culture.
She is not afraid of addressing anything that gets in the way of the work. Her style is positive, approachable, engaging, service-oriented, and audience-centered.
Jessica Fish
coo &
Senior Consultant
She/Her/Hers
Jessica is a facilitator, educator and researcher with over a decade of experience helping organizations and communities grapple with diversity, inclusion and racial equity work. As a facilitator she often works with white teams and leaders to help them develop skills to have difficult conversations around racial identity and power. As a researcher she helps organizations develop nuanced analyses around their DEI efforts and tactical plans on how to operationalize them. Connect with Jessica.
Varshini Balaji
Consultant and Researcher
She/her/hers
Varshini is an anthropologist, researcher, and writer. Growing up across six countries, she has always been curious about our collective human experience and how identities and the idea of ‘difference’ impact society and human relationships.
Her training as an anthropologist enables her to examine social structures and understand how we come to know what we know. She sees research and writing not only as ways to understand our current reality but also as tools to imagine liberatory futures. Much of her work is guided by her commitment to decolonization and racial equity.
We Believe in Justice
Recognizing and respecting marginalized and subjugated voices, cultures, and groups.
We Believe in Equity
Sharing power, participation, and inclusion to benefit from the institutions, policies and systems that guide our lives
We Believe in Education
Oppression has consequences for us all. Let’s examine our lives, institutions, and leaders with the tools and knowledge for effective action.
We Believe in Unity
Together, we can change the world.
